At 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday, 9 September, police entered the headquarters of the CFMEU construction union in Brisbane, Australia. The investigation concerned future Olympic construction projects. According to The Courier-Mail, investigators are examining possible union favours intended to help a company gain access to those projects.
The inquiry commission’s statement, reported by the newspaper, refers to alleged “corrupting benefits to current Queensland CFMEU officials”. The alleged aim was to influence the negotiation of enterprise bargaining agreements to secure work related to the Olympic Games.
One company, two states and unsigned agreements
The operation also extended to homes and offices in Victoria. Kim Lee Mellech, a director of Top Up Labour, was arrested there and subsequently released without charge pending further inquiries. Two other people arrested were charged in connection with separate investigations, according to The Australian.
The same newspaper explains that the agreements linked to the alleged corruption had not been signed. The CFMEU has announced its cooperation with the authorities. The investigation therefore concerns how access to the construction projects was allegedly being sought, rather than proven fraud in Olympic contract awards.
Construction was already under scrutiny
The case is unfolding within a broader review of the sector. In 2025, Queensland established a commission to investigate misconduct related to the CFMEU and the construction industry. Its work includes public hearings, gathering testimony and making recommendations to the state government. Workers, subcontractors and companies can provide information confidentially, as the commission itself explains.
For Brisbane 2032, the investigation draws attention to a step that comes before building stadiums: the conditions under which companies gain access to construction projects. Investigators will need to establish who offered what, to whom and for what purpose. For now, police have reached the offices before the agreements under investigation were signed. Certainly not the best way to prepare for an Olympic Games. And the IOC will be taking note of it all.
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